It was a cold morning; colder than usual for this area of the mountains. Frost lined the edges of pine needles and traced the outlines of the roots on the ground. A young dragon peeked her head out of her den to see the sun begin to rise in the sky. She was still no more than a baby, really; only six years old. She still had that cute baby face and big feet; her wings were still small and incapable of flight. She stepped out of the den, a ray of sunshine falling on her to illuminate her emerald scales. Her big, fiery green eyes blinked in the morning light. She shook herself to rid herself of dew drops that had formed on her during the night, as was her morning ritual, only to find that what was on her was frost, not dew. She made a puzzled noise in her throat, scratching at the frost on her scales with a talon. â€œMama!â€ she crooned. â€œLookit all the white stuff on the ground!â€
There was no response from within the den.
â€œMama?â€ The dragonette climbed back into the den to look for her mother. Her mother, a forest dragon of unusual coloring (brownish with green eyes and wing membranes and ivory horns), was lying on the floor of the den with her wings spread out over her like a blanket, eyes closed. â€œMama?â€ she asked, a little louder. She walked up to her and nudged her neck. â€œMama...wake up...â€
One large green eye opened slowly and a small, weak smile graced her motherâ€™s face. â€œMama isnâ€™t feeling so well, darling. Go find Papa and see if heâ€™ll take you on a walk, yes?â€
â€œOkay...â€ She was concerned. It wasnâ€™t like Avani, her mother, to just lie there, even when she was sick. She trotted off back to the further recesses of the den to try to find her father.

Brogan was a large dragon, especially for their kind. He had colouring more along the lines of his daughter. He had forest green scales and brown eyes with grass green wing membranes and ebony horns. The young dragon eventually found him and nudged his cheek with her nose. He blinked his eyes open. â€œAh, Terra. Good morning to you, my little dragonet.â€ He smiled at her.
â€œMama sayâ€™s I should ask you to take me on walk because sheâ€™s not feeling well so she canâ€™t do it,â€ she said all in one breath, as children sometimes do.
Brogan chuckled. â€œAlright my dear.â€ He groaned as he pushed himself to his feet. â€œLetâ€™s go for a walk.â€
â€œYaaaaay!â€ Terra did a little prancing dance type of thing. She loved going for walks. She knew that someday those walks would be flights, which excited her greatly. The two dragons walked out of the den, both casting a worried glance at Avani, who seemed to not notice, green eyes closed in a seemingly peaceful manner. What she wouldnâ€™t let on was the pain that wracked her body every time she breathed.

Later that day, Terra was playing with her friend, an unusually coloured dragon named Miach. She always thought he was handsome. He was three years older than her, and therefore was quite a bit larger. He had brown scales and near black wing membranes, and his eyes were amber. Like her father, he had ebony horns. He would often give her rides on his back or they would horse around. Or play chess. He always won, of course, but that didnâ€™t really bother Terra; she knew he was older...she just assumed that was why she always lost. Young minds can think the silliest things, no?

Years passed, and Terra grew in both mind and stature, becoming a beautiful dragon, envied by some, desired by others...including Miach. They had become quite the pair, both of them filling out into good-looking young dragons. Terraâ€™s scales had become a darker shade, like dark emeralds, and Miachâ€™s eyes had turned a stunning topaz shade; they made a handsome couple. Terraâ€™s only other close friend, Daray, the dark one, was preparing to leave the clan to explore the world. He had black scales and green eyes, with dark green wing membranes; Terra had always thought him handsome as well, with his highly unusual colouring. She was sad to see him go.

Green scales sparkled against the sunâ€™s light as Terra and her father took their morning flight. It was Terraâ€™s bit of fun before she had to get to work. She was studying- and applying- healing magic to help her mother. She had just gotten sicker over the years, and Terra was determined to help her.

After many months of the healing magic of several dragons, Terraâ€™s mother was almost cured. Terra laid the final heeling spell upon her, but so many years of illness had taken their toll; Avani would never be the same healthy young dragon she once was. She seemed older now, and tired easily...but she was well, and that was all that really mattered.

It was only a few moons passing since her motherâ€™s healing that terra was caught in a terrible storm on her way back from hunting afar. The winds were intense, and the thunder boomed in her ears as she tried to see through the sheets of rain falling all around her. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew her totally off course. She tried to steer even as she spiraled out of control, blown to unknown lands. Or specifically, a land called Riva.

Terra crashed through the trees and onto the earth, panting. Such a commotion attracted attentions she did not want; attentions from the Rivan Dragoons.
She was locked in battle and severely outnumbered when she caught a familiar smell on the wind. It made her trash harder, roaring in anger and pain. But her roar was drowned out by a louder one. She knew that roar! It was Daray!
The large black dragon known as Daray crashed through the trees, talons outstretched to rend Dragoon flesh. The battle was over quickly after his arrival.
â€œTerra! How did you get here?â€ he asked. Daray and Terra had been friends since they were quite young, though he and Miach didnâ€™t get along very well, and Terra knew that had been part of the reason Daray left the clan.
â€œI was hunting,â€ she said breathlessly, â€œand then when I was coming back, I got caught in the storm and blown here. Thank the Gods you were in the area.â€
â€œThis is an area I try to avoid. Can you fly?â€ he asked, looking at her wounds.
â€œGive me a second to cast some healing spells on myself.â€
There was a chilling silence as she cast the spell to heal herself; Daray constantly looked around, as if he were a mouse knowing that a cat was nearby.
â€œOkay, Iâ€™m ready,â€ she said quietly, not wanting to break the silence.
â€œGood. Let us leave this place.â€

Terra and Daray returned to the clan, her parents welcoming her with open wings and glad eyes. Terra rushed to her mother, who wrapped her wings around her daughter who had been missing for several days. â€œWe were so worried,â€ she said, nuzzling Terraâ€™s neck affectionately.
â€œDaray saved me from the Dragoons,â€ she said, looking back to where Daray was. But he was no longer there. She masked a sigh of sadness at his departure, and turned to Miach, who also welcomed her warmly.

But it was all too soon after that that tragedy struck the clan. Miach was slain by a knight. They found his body and burned it on a pyre, as ceremony dictated. There were many tears shed and much ululation that night. It was also the night that Terra decided it was time to go out and follow in Darayâ€™s footsteps and explore the world.